Osprey Kestrel 38 Backpack Review

The Osprey Kestrel 38 Backpack is well-sized for gear-intensive mountaineering and is constructed with extra sturdy materials and options that make it appropriate for on-trail, off-trail, and winter mountaineering. It is an adjustable torso-length backpack with an exterior pocket for carrying a hydration system, a sewn-on prime lid pocket, a zippered backside hatch, and aspect zipper entry to the principle compartment. A rain cowl can be included. But better of all, the Kestrel 38 carries very effectively, particularly if you must haul extra gear, meals, or water, with a inflexible body that gives good load switch to the hip belt.

Specs at a Glance

• Gender: Men’s (Women’s model is the Kyte 36)
• Type: Internal body: wire perimeter loop, and framesheet
• Closed pockets: 5+ essential compartment
• Open pockets: 4
• Access: prime drawstring, backside zipper, aspect zipper
• Hydration suitable: Yes (exterior hydration sleeve)
• Load lifters: Yes
• Weight reviewed (with out rain cowl):  51.3 oz  / 1454g (measurement M/L)
• Rain cowl (non-compulsory, included): (3.1 oz)
• Torso vary: 16″-23″, two sizes obtainable
• Waist/hip vary: 27″-55″, two sizes obtainable
• Material: 210D x 630D Nylon Dobby (essential), 420HD Nylon Oxford (accent) ,
• Max Recommended load: 30-35 kilos

Backpack Storage and Organization

The Osprey Kestrel 38 has 5 closed pockets and 4 open pockets so you might have a number of storage choices. There are additionally 3 ways to entry the principle compartment: from the highest, the underside, and the aspect via zippers, letting you undertake a zonal method to packing and making it very straightforward to retrieve the gear you need.

Closed Storage

A prime lid is sewn to the entrance of the pack and has two zippered pockets, one on prime, and an inside mesh pocket on the underside with a key fob inside.

The essential compartment closes with a drawstring however doesn’t have a hydration pocket. Instead, there’s a spot behind the shoulder straps for storing a reservoir, so that you don’t must unpack and repack your backpack each time you must refill it. You additionally by no means want to fret a few leak making all of the gear in your essential compartment gear.  This exterior pocket has a grasp loop on prime and is a key differentiator should you’re evaluating the deserves of the Kestrel 38 to different backpacks.

The essential compartment has a flap inside which could be folded as much as create a separate storage space for holding a sleeping bag or different much less often used objects you need to segregate out of your different contents.

A rain cowl is housed beneath the principle compartment in a small zippered pocket on the backside of the backpack.

The hip belt has two giant solid-faced zippered pockets that may match a smartphone and quite a few snacks. I favor sold-faced pockets over mesh ones as a result of they’re rather more sturdy and waterproof.

Access strategies

You can entry the principle compartment in three other ways, which may be very helpful should you’re carrying pictures gear or chilly climate layers and need to pack them away into zones for straightforward entry.

• via the highest utilizing the drawstring closure below the lid,
• via the underside utilizing the zipper outdoors the sleeping bag compartment,
• and thru a aspect zipper below the fitting compression straps.

If you end up having to unload all the pieces in your present backpack pack to seek out one thing, these zippers are going to make your day as a result of it’s a lot simpler to seek out what you want.

Open Storage

There’s a strong face shove-it pocket on the entrance of the pack that’s good for stuffing layers or moist objects. It has a drain gap at its base. It has a strong entrance for sturdiness however isn’t terribly giant or stretchy like on some backpacks.

The aspect water bottle pockets are mesh on prime with strong cloth on the bottom for sturdiness, notably if you set the pack down on the bottom. They can swallow 1L Nalgene bottles or SmartWater bottles with ease and have entrance cutouts so you possibly can pull them out from the entrance too.

Adjustable Length Backpack Frame

The Kestrel 38 is an adjustable-length backpack, which suggests you possibly can change the torso size by elevating or reducing the shoulder pads. For instance, elevating the shoulder pads will enhance the size between them and your hips, whereas reducing them will lower it. The shoulder pads are linked to the backpack by velcro so to lift and decrease them, you merely launch and reposition them the place you need.

The good factor about an adjustable torso pack is that you just get a customized match that’s fully personalised. You even have rather more management over the proportion of weight that rests in your hips or in your shoulders. In addition, you possibly can dial that proportion between the 2 relying on how a lot weight it’s a must to carry. For instance, should you wanted to hold additional water, you would modify the torso size to be just a little longer than regular, to have extra of the load relaxation in your hips and fewer in your shoulders. I do that after I carry winter gear, which is significantly heavier than the gear I carry the remainder of the yr

The Kestrel has a light-weight wire body that runs across the perimeter of the pack. The again space behind your shoulder blades isn’t ventilated like a trampoline pack, however it’s lined with die-cut foam and mesh to assist cool your again and hold it drier. The good factor about this adjustment system is that it sits nearer to your again than a trampoline pack with an enormous air hole. This makes it extra environment friendly to hold as a result of is nearer to the massive muscle groups in your hips and in addition makes it simpler to scramble with.

The Kestrel’s hip belt is sewn to the again of the pack making it very aware of your actions. The hip belt wings are padded with wicking mesh with a average quantity of padding that’s comfy and safe. The hipbelt has a push-forward cinching mechanism so you may get a safe match simply. There’s additionally a single giant buckle closure which does NOT clog with snow when winter mountaineering. This is an issue with packs that use small buckles.

Compression and External Attachment System

The Kestrel 38 has two tiers of compression straps on the edges of the pack. The prime strap closes with buckles however not the underside, which makes it troublesome to hold snowshoes alongside the aspect of the pack. The prime strap is reversible nevertheless and the 2 finish buckles can join above the shove-it pocket.

My desire is so as to add a second strap with some webbing I’ve laying round and thread it via the gear loops situated farther down alongside the aspect of the shove-it pocket. The Kestrel 38 carries this additional weight surprisingly as a result of the Airscape suspension is so near your again with out an enormous air hole. You can use this similar system to connect any cumbersome gear to the entrance of the pack.

There are additionally sleeping pad straps on the base of the pack and two ice axe loops that can be utilized to hold further gear.

Recommendation

The Osprey Kestrel 38 is a durably made backpack that’s loaded with options which are nice for day hikes, bushwhacking, and winter mountaineering. Despite its small measurement, it has a number of organizational options usually discovered on bigger and heavier backpacks. With an adjustable size body and exterior hydration system pocket, it’s actually a simple backpack to get hooked up to should you prefer to enterprise into harder terrain or want a pack that may stand up to arduous use. Highly really helpful.

Disclosure: The creator bought this backpack.

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